Why Psychopaths Rise to Power

BY SOFO ARCHON

Some people feel an insatiable hunger for power. They crave control and dominance over others, and are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve it—even climbing the political ladder.

Such individuals are often called psychopaths, and are marked by a profound lack of empathy and remorse, which allows them to exploit and abuse others without hesitation. Worse still, they tend to believe they are superior to those around them and therefore entitled to dominate them.

At the other end of the spectrum are highly empathetic, just, and responsible individuals who feel genuine compassion toward others and do not seek power over them. These people see themselves as equals and would likely refuse high-status positions, recognizing that accepting them would set them apart from their fellow humans.

This dynamic leaves positions of power open to ruthless individuals. Once they seize authority, they have no intention of ever relinquishing it. On the contrary, they are willing to take any measures necessary to remain in power, including making anti-democratic decisions.

Such politicians hate democracy, although most pretend to love it. For democracy is, at its core, about distributing political power among the people, protecting them from rule by a pathological minority. Yet as it exists today, our political system fails miserably at this, rewarding those who are best at deceiving, exploiting, and outmaneuvering others for personal gain.

In this system, power-hungry—yet often highly charismatic—individuals tend to rise to power by leveraging the media to present themselves as confident, decisive, and “tough” defenders of the people, even though they are deeply insecure and driven primarily by a desire for self-importance.

In addition, these people attract similarly pathological individuals, forming coalitions that reinforce and entrench their power. As a result, what we call democracy is, in practice, a pathocracy—a term coined by Polish psychologist Andrzej Łobaczewski to describe systems of government dominated by pathological personalities.

This is not to say that all politicians are “corrupt.” Some are genuinely kind-hearted and aim to serve society, but they tend, sooner or later, to exit the political arena—driven out, or simply disgusted with, their malevolent colleagues. Psychopathic politicians, by contrast, persist to the end. Even after reaching the top, they feel their power is still insufficient. At that point, they may begin projecting their ambitions onto the nation itself, seeking to expand its power and prestige on the world stage. This can trigger financial or military conflicts with other nations, disrupting or devastating the lives of hundreds of thousands—or even millions—of people.

Pathological leaders not only seek to expand their power but also work meticulously to protect what they already hold. For example, they may scare the public with made-up threats while portraying political opponents as the only cause of those threats and themselves as the only solution. Or, to offer another example, they may attempt to weaken or dismantle democratic institutions—such as a free and independent press—that pose a threat to their authority.

So what can we, ordinary citizens, do to safeguard democracy from such individuals?

First, we must recognize that these leaders hold power because we collectively permit them to. It is easy to blame, accuse, or demonize politicians, for it requires no self-reflection. The uncomfortable truth, however, is that each of us bears some responsibility for the political reality we inhabit, and acknowledging this is the first step toward meaningful change.

Second, we need to understand why so many of us unconsciously gravitate toward pathological leaders. Evolutionarily, humans are drawn to strongman figures who appear capable of protecting and providing for the group. This tendency is especially pronounced in times of crisis, which helps explain the recent global rise of authoritarianism. By becoming aware of this instinct, we can consciously evaluate leaders based on their vision, ideas, and proposed policies, rather than being swayed by charisma or fear.

Finally, we must honestly acknowledge that our so-called democracy is deeply flawed—and commit to changing it. Electing representatives every few years, heavily promoted by corporate media and rarely held to their promises, leaves citizens with very little real power. A truly democratic system would be participatory, enabling people to shape laws, policies, and community affairs directly through mechanisms such as referendums, citizen initiatives, recall elections, and town hall assemblies.

Such a model would foster transparency, accountability, and genuine civic empowerment. At the same time, it would significantly narrow the opportunities for dangerous individuals to seize disproportionate power, and make it far easier to identify and remove those who do.